1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to optical heterodyning systems and, in particular, to a channelized coherent acousto-optical receiver. The invention also relates to acousto-optical receiver employing beam translators as disclosed in Ser. No. 274,577 filed June 17, 1981 concurrently herewith and incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical heterodyning is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,110 describes a depolarization measurement by optical heterodyning. A signal component polarized in one direction and a frequency shifted local oscillator component polarized in the same direction are formed from reference and signal components of an incident beam. These components are optically heterodyned at a detector.